Ipomoea
/ˌaɪ.pəˈmiː.ə/noun
A large genus of flowering plants in the morning glory family, including many ornamental vines and sweet potato relatives.
Did you know?The name *Ipomoea* was coined by Linnaeus from Greek roots, and its creeping, twining habit made it feel almost serpentine to early botanists.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἴπος / ἰπός + ὅμοιος
“A Greek root set meaning roughly “worm” + “like” or “resembling,” used in the scientific coinage for the plant genus.”
18th Century
New Latin
Ipomoea
“A botanical genus name created by Linnaeus for twining morning-glory-like plants.”
Modern English
English
Ipomoea
“The accepted scientific name for a genus of flowering plants in the morning glory family.”
Modern English
English
morning glory
“The common name for many species in the genus, referring to flowers that open in the morning.”
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